hot item: steve madden sandalia

shoes

this week's hot item is the steve madden sandalia.  i found these beauties on amazon.  when we decided to do my bridal shower in a rose garden, i decided i wanted floral shoes.  i am a girl about a theme. i  knew i wanted something strappy and bright.  and when i came across these on amazon, i was in love.  they were a little pricey.  but so worth it.  i don't know if you've noticed, but i have worn these shoes in a lot of my recent posts and so i thought it'd be fitting to feature them since i'm obsessed.  below are 5 different outfits that are complete with these shoes.  i took them from super casual to dressy - perfect for any occasion.

RUNNING ERRANDS

shirt (similar) // jeans

this would be a perfect casual outfit for running errands on a weekend.  i paired these sandalias with a casual graphic tee i got at aeropostale.  there are tons of graphic tees in any price range available at many stores.  feel free to pair these shoes with any graphic tee you have or can find.  just try to keep the tee simple maybe sticking to all grey, black or white so that it doesn't compete with the shoes.  these boyfriend jeans are perfect for that super casual/relaxed feel.  not sure if many of you run around town in heels.  but if you do, this is a good way to make these fancy floral shoes work for running errands.

BRUNCH

crochet top (similar) // jeans

for brunch with the ladies, i paired these shoes with skinny jeans and crochet top.  i love that you can mix the neon bright floral pattern with the all white floral crochet pattern on the top.  by sticking to the white floral on top, it doesn't compete with the bright detail on the shoes.

WORK

dress // blazer

my office is business casual so this outfit might be a little too fancy for my office.  i tend to stick with slacks and flats.  but if i had an important meeting or my office was a little bit more fancy, i would definitely wear this white dress and blazer with these shoes.  i love that the blue blazer brings out the blue in the shoes.  it would be so easy to find a blazer that is similar to any color in these shoes to really highlight that shade.  it's so bright and springy.

DATE NIGHT 

top (similar) // jeans

i did wear this exact outfit for a date night with matt recently.  the all black ensemble really makes the bright shoes pop.  the torn black jeans give these girly shoes some edge.  i love mixing girly with edgy pieces.  this top came in one of my stitch fixes.  but i tried to find something similar to it that you could order online.  the similar item isn't it exactly, but the structured tee will give the similar feel this tee gives in this look.

DRESSY

dress

as you know, i wore this exact outfit for my bridal shower.  this dress is the perfect mix of dressy but not overly dressy.  these shoes were the best accessory to an all white dress.  i kept the rest of my accessories simple so that the focus would be these shoes.  i will admit that pretty much every girl at my shower (young and old) loved my shoes.  they still talk about them!

i feel like even though these shoes have a lot of detail and are a little more on the dressy side, you can easily make them work for any occasion.  they are the perfect versatile piece to add to your closet.  they're remotely comfortable as any heel.  i wouldn't be able to last all day standing in them.  but i have worn them for 8 hours in one day but i made sure to mix being seated and standing in that 8 hours so i could last in them.  they're the perfect accessory especially if you're wanting to keep the rest of your look pretty simple.

how would you pair them to work for your lifestyle?

stitch fix #5

i got my stitch fix #5 over the weekend.  i will admit that i had a really hard time deciding what to keep/return.  it was a pricey fix and i wanted to keep pretty much everything (but one item..) however, my sad wallet wouldn't let me.

i am really happy with how the last couple boxes have turned out.  i feel like my stylists are finally understanding my style.  i will admit that i try to hate everything in the fix when i first pull it of the box.  i always tell matt that i'm not sure if i'll like anything.  and then i try it all on and i'm trying to debate if we need electric for the month or if i need all the clothes!?  i have a problem..

if you haven't ever heard of stitch fix, they are a subscription that basically assigns a stylist to you that picks out 5 different pieces of clothing and mails them to you for $20.  you get to try on the clothes and decide if you want to keep them.  if you do, then you keep however many pieces and stitch fix will charge you the cost of the clothes minus your $20 you paid to get the box.  the items you don't want, you place in a prestamped bag and mail it back usps to them.  during checkout you can state what you loved/hated about each item.  if you buy all 5 items, you get a 25% discount and you still subtract your $20.  you get 3 days to try on and decide before they expect you to check out.

your clothes comes in a box.  and is neatly packaged.  inside your clothes will be nicely folded and wrapped in tissue paper.  there will be a prestamped bag for your returns and a card stating what's in the box, how to pair it with other items you may have in your closet and a cost sheet.

what i learned from returning everything in my 3rd fix, you lose your $20 if you don't buy anything.  which sucks.  so keep that in mind if you get stitch fix and end up not liking anything.

so, let's get into it.

Unpublished Galiana Racerback Top  $44 - Returned

i loved this top.  however, it was more of a shorter/crop top.  and i'm not a large fan of showing off my belly.  i paired it with my high waisted shorts from target.  and thought this was the cutest outfit.  but i only own these high waisted shorts and no other high waisted bottoms.  i feel like that's the only way i would've worn the shirt.  so, back it went and my heart did break a little.

Pixley Layda Crochet Top  $58 - Kept

i loooooooooooove this top.  i originally thought i would hate it when i first pulled it of the box.  but after putting it on, it fit perfectly, the bright pink, the crochet, the mesh, the bottom hem - perfection!  it will be the perfect top to pair with torn white jeans for a weekend or pair it with white slacks and i can wear this beauty to work.  love the versatility. love neon pink. kept!

Plenty by Tracy Reese Bridgette Neoprene Pencil Skirt  $98 - Returned

 this little baby broke my heart.  originally, again, i hated this coming out of the box.  however, it stretches, i can walk comfortably, that bright pattern, that floral print, it stretches when i walk!  i wanted to keep it.  i hung it in my closet like i was going to keep it.  justified not paying the water bill to keep it.  but i decided to return it.  i did shed a tear.  but at the end of the day i would have probably only worn this skirt 1-2 times a year and i couldn't truly justify that $98 price tag.  if it were $50, it'd be hanging in my closet.

Adrianna Papell Karri Shirt Dress  $138 - Returned

what the heck is this thing!?  it was a tent.  did nothing for my shape.  wasn't a fan of the collar.  i did love the floral pattern.  it would have been perfect as a pencil skirt or a blouse.  but this tent dress did nothing for me.  returned!!

Pixley Evette Romper  $78 - Kept 

per usual, i was skeptical of this.  i love a romper/jumpsuit.  however, i'm short.  and somethings that are a one piece are way to long for my tiny frame.  however, the pants are cinched at the ankle and the straps are adjustable so i was able to make it work and not look sloppy.  i feel like this would be perfect for the honeymoon or any summer night that might be cooler.  and if i really wanted to, i could pair it with a blazer and wear it to work.

all in all if i were to by the entire box i would have paid

$416.00 - 25% Discount $104.00 - Styling Fee $20.00 = $292.00

but my wallet couldn't afford it.  instead, i spent

$78.00 + $58.00 - Styling Fee $20.00 = $116.00

i absolutely loved this box minus the shirt dress.  and if the pricing wasn't so outrageous i would have probably bought 4 of the 5 items.  however, since i'm living on a beautiful budget, i could only keep two items.  i chose the two items i felt like i could wear the most and were the most versatile.  i can't wait to see what my next box has!

loving tan

my first impression of loving tan

loving tan express tan in dark $39.95 w/o tax and shipping&handling.

for my bridal shower, i wanted to be tan.  we had a local tanning salon in my tiny town that closed right before the shower and so i wasn't able to tan like i normally would.  (which i don't really tan by tanning beds that often.  but will if i need to for a special occasion).  i like to do self tanners but i hate the smell and the process and sometimes you don't come out looking right.  i had heard about loving tan from youtube and thought i would check them out.

loving tan is based out of australia but have finally made it over to the states so that shipping isn't an arm and a leg and doesn't take forever to get to you.  what really got me interested in the product is the express tan option.  (only comes in medium or dark.  i purchased dark). the express tan states that you put on the self tanner mouse and then sit for TWO hours and then wash it off!!  um, yes.  get in my cart.  get on my body.  i love the idea of only having to feel sticky, uncomfortable and smell like a nasty chemical for two hours and then be able to wash it all off.

to start, i took a shower and exfoliated my whole body.  i went in with a light body lotion on my dry areas (hands, feet, elbows and knees) and i let that soak in for a few minutes.  i used a tanning mitt to rub the product on my body.  it dries quickly.  it has an instant bronzer that i used as a guide to make sure everything was blended and evenly covered.  the bronzer is amazing to even just wear on its own.  not blotchy at all!  when it came to my face, neck, hands and feet, i used a synthetic elf brush and pumped the tanning solution on the brush and then blended it on my face or whatever.  it states to wash your hands after an hour to prevent from overly tanning them.  but i didn't do that (rebel) so, i did notice my hands - especially around my knuckles - were a little bit darker than the rest of my body.  but it wasn't terrible.

i let everything dry for a few minutes before i put on loose clothing.  i just sat on the couch for 2-3 hours and then washed my body off.  i made sure to only wash myself with my hands and to avoid loofahs or washcloths.  i noticed i was a shade or so darker than normal.  nothing outstanding. but i wasn't disappointed.  i felt like the tan was even.  i felt like i looked like i had color to my skin instead of my normal pale coloring.  and i felt like it was a believable tan color (not orange).

below is the before and after of my legs in my bathroom lighting.

here is my review:

pros:

• i like that it takes 2 hours to develop so that i can quickly wash it off and get on with my day
• the coloring is subtle so it doesn't look so fake
• the color is a believable tan - not orangey at all
• instant bronzer is a great guide, non blotchy, OK to be worn on it's own if i didn't have 2 hours to waste before i could shower
• smell isn't terrible when i first put it on but did notice the normal tanning lotion odor towards the end of the 2 hours
• blends easy
• fast drying
• fades evenly (i've had it on for a week and didn't lose my tan in a blotchy, weird pattern.  it all seemed to wear off evenly.  no exfoliating involved)
• still some color to my skin a week later

cons:

• the express tan doesn't come in ultra dark (i have only tried this express tan in dark.  i am not sure how the normal lotion works/wears nor how medium or ultra dark appears on the skin)
• only gain a shade or 2 in coloring - may have to apply a few times to get the dark tan you want
• a little pricey at $39.95 for the bottle of express tan
• did rub off on my bridal shower dress (wore the dress from 4p-12a and noticed tanner on the armpit of my dress and on the seems around the neckline and armpits on the inside of the dress.  washed it in my washing machine with normal detergent with other similar garments and it came right out.)

below is the before and after of me in natural lighting (in front of a window)  only looks like a gained a shade or two darker than my normal skin tone.  however, it does give me a warm glow and i was happy with that.

 overall, i would purchase it again.  and i will be using the remainder of this bottle in the future.  i like the warm glow it gave me and i liked that it wore off evenly so i didn't look blotchy or discolored a week later.  i would highly recommend this product to anyone just wanting to have a warm glow or be a couple shades darker than normal.  and especially to someone who hates the self tanner process like myself!  what self tanners have you used that you would recommend? or how did you feel about loving tan?

simplify your morning

my shift starts at 8am at work.  i used to be the kind of person that would have to get up at 6ish to try and accomplish pulling myself together enough to leave and get to work on time.  this included a 30 minute commute to my office. but after a few years of modifying my habits i have found ways to get myself up and ready in 30 minutes.  here's a few steps of how i simplified my mornings.
                            
1. originally i showered every single morning.  i typically have longer hair.  and i have a two inch section that NEVER seems to dry.  so when i showered in the morning, i would need a full half hour to include the ten minute shower and the 20 minutes it would take to get my hair mostly dried.  but one day i realized if i showered after work and dried/fixed my hair for like dinner or something, then it would still look presentable by morning.  and then i realized if i washed it at night and then mostly dried it by bedtime, i could easily curl it with my wand and it would look perfectly fine!  and so now, i typically shower at night and dry my hair mostly before bed and then i just need 10 minutes in the morning to roughly wand my hair in to messy beach waves.  and now, i'm trying to not wash my hair every single day.  so every other day i just bathe in the evening and then wear my hair up if it's looking a little greasy on my non wash hair day.  (this really helped my budget of not spending so much money on shampoo and conditioner!)

2. makeup is my fav.  but i have allowed myself 15 minutes in the morning to do my whole face.  this is really the largest part of my morning routine.  i originally would do a full face and eye makeup.  but who in the heck am i impressing in my office?? no one.  so why go through all the trouble when i rarely leave this cell?  i still do a lot.  but i mostly focus on my face.  so, i do a primer, liquid foundation, powder, bronzer, blush and mascara.  that's about it.  sometimes if i do have a little bit of extra time, i'll do some eye shadow or line my upper lashes.  but mostly i just don't bother.  it gives me a fresh face with a nice complexion but i'm not going overboard with my eyes or lips.  i do store some lipsticks in my desk in case i do feel frisky when i get to work.

3. my biggest time savers is clothes.  you remember when you were little and your mom would pick out your school clothes the night before and then threaten you an inch of your life if you changed your mind and threw a fit in the morning?  no?  just my mom?  well, i started implementing the same concept in my adult life.  i realized when i picked my clothes out in the morning during my rushed hazy routine, i would always choose basics - white and black, black and grey, grey and white, khaki and black, khaki and white (repeat) and i never wore my fun purple cardigan or that flowy floral top.  who has time in the morning to think about matching clothes?  let alone if that shirt really fits properly?  is this a tube top!?  or a skirt!?  and i have enough clothes for the entire neighborhood and i wasn't wearing any of it.  i now pick out my outfits usually on sunday after i finish doing all my laundry.  i hung a 6 cube organizer in my closet and i'll lay out 5 pairs of pants for the week.  i'll go through my tops and try to mix up blazers, sweaters, button ups, cardigans and scarves so that i'm not wearing the same outfit everyday and i am spicing up my wardrobe with color, patterns and layering.  i now wear 90% of my closet and i'm not getting bored with the same ol same ol.  literally takes me 2 minutes to get dressed now since i have everything in it's own cube including accessories. 

4.  i typically do not eat breakfast at home.  my work has a cafeteria that offers breakfast and lunch.  i sometimes will go there and get breakfast.  but most mornings (to save money) i eat breakfast bars or protein bars at my desk while i check my emails in the morning.  sometimes for lunch i'll pack my lunch.  and if i do that, i typically pack my lunch the night before and put everything in a lunch box so that in the morning i can just grab that bag and go.  if i don't pack my lunch, then i will either go downtown or the cafeteria to eat.

5.  i will typically put everything i want to take to work in the morning by my coat rack by my front door.  if i have a few things i want to take to the office, i'll bag it up and stick it right next to my purse so i'll remember to take it.  when i'm completely finished getting ready and am ready to leave, i'll gather anything i may have that needs to go from the kitchen and then grab my purse and leave.  it's helpful to have it all together right by the door so i'm not running around like a crazy lady trying to gather my things.

by making these small changes i have gotten my routine down from one hour to 20-30 minutes in the morning.  i get to sleep in a little longer and am not stressed when i first wake up trying to get everything accomplished before i have to leave.  who doesn't love 30 extra minutes of sleep??

engagement photos

after matt finally proposed, i searched pinterest and online stores for the perfect outfits.  matt said that he wanted fall engagement pictures and so i wanted plaid clothes.  plaid everything.

i wasn't for sure exactly what i wanted.  did i want a plaid dress? did i want a plaid scarf?  should matt wear plaid?  should we get a plaid blanket?  how fall can i make these pictures!?

so, my original idea for an outfit was thrown out.  and then i decided on the following for myself and matt:

on me: black tulle skirt, red high heels, black long sleeve top, plaid scarf

on matt: flannel shirt (comparable), jeans, shoes (comparable), watch (comparable)

on me: red cardigan (no longer offering red), jeans (comparable), white t shirt, blue shoes

on matt: flannel shirt (comparable), jeans, boat shoes (comparable), watch (comparable)

well, after trying to find all that clothing we specifically purchased for these photos, i'm now realizing i should've posted this sooner as many of them are out of stock or no longer available.  sorry about that.

my makeup: primer, foundation, concealer, powder,  eyeshadow, lipstick, blush, bronzer, highlight, eye liner, eye lashes, mascara

i did my makeup a little heavier than normal since lighting and camera flash can wash you out.  i also tried to steer clear of any primers or powders that had a white base in case it would also wash me out or make me look like a ghost.  i did this exact makeup look for paislee's one year old pictures that i took with my dslr camera to make sure it didn't come off funny in photographs.  definitely test out your makeup a couple times before you do it for photos if you're using new products like i was.  just to be sure nothing settles in your lines or creases on you.  i didn't have much time between photos to touch up so i wanted to be sure i was set for the day.  i also made sure to use a matte lipstick so that if we had any kissing pictures i wasn't leaving my mark all over matt's face or having it smeared all over mine.  just be sure to use a lip liner and maybe a couple applications of the matte lipstick so that it isn't blotchy in places.  also, a great tip for putting on liquid liner and eye lashes - hold the mirror a little lower than normal so you're kind of looking down in to the mirror to see yourself.  this will allow you to easily line your lash line and place your lashes up against the lash line.  i practiced wearing lashes everyday that week to get the hang of it before our photos.  i don't normally wear fake lashes.  like ever.  but that trick really made it super easy to apply them.  and if you need to trim your lashes, ALWAYS trim from the outer corner!!

for our dressy outfit, i wanted something timeless and i wanted something with some flair.  so, i chose this tulle skirt.  the shirt i have had for awhile.  and i HAD TO HAVE this plaid scarf for fall.  the red shoes i've had forever as well.  when it was time to pick out matt's clothes, he had informed me that he had dark jeans.  and then i realized i was marrying a liar.  his 'dark' jeans consisted of faded jeans with dark at the bottom.  no.  we had to run out and get him dark jeans.  the plaid shirt he's had for awhile.  i wanted his plaid to kind of be muted so it wouldn't be too clashing with all the plaid.  i think these outfits went really good together and are some of my favorite pictures in this collection.

for the second option, i wanted a more casual look.  we bought my sweater and matt's plaid shirt at aeropostale a few months ago.  he kept the same dark jeans on from before.  i was so tore up over his lack of dark jeans that i completely forgot to pack the skinny jeans i wanted to wear with this outfit.  i didn't even realize i didn't have my jeans until it was time to change outfits.  i was freaking out!!  luckily i keep a change of clothes in my trunk (that's another story) and had a different pair of jeans there.  thank you jesus! originally i didn't think i would like this outfit with these jeans but i think i like it a lot better than what i had originally picked out to wear for this section of the shoot.

our photographer suggested this park for us which was about a 30-40 minute drive for us.  but it was gorgeous! i was also worried the trees weren't going to change colors by the time we took them (end of october) but we luckily had a really cold night right before that caused our leaves to finally turn.  

the morning of, mom and i went to the salon and i got my nails done.  on the way, mom mentioned i should put our date on pumpkins.  so, of course i needed to do that.  last minute.  the salon was behind and what was supposed to be an hour visit turned into almost 3 hours.  mom needed to stop at the store on the way home.  which was fine because i wanted pumpkins.  and a chalkboard.  so, now we're counting 4 hours and i still have to get ready! i got home with 2 hours to spare and still needed to do the pumpkins and put something on the chalkboard.  i outlined our date on the pumpkins and while i was getting ready, matt filled in the lines.  i quickly wrote out a quote on the chalkboard and it was time to go!

so much stress.  so little time.  so little planning.

but everything turned out ok.  even finding jeans in my trunk!  (what the heck is my life!?)  and here are just some of the many pictures she took of us.  now, to remind you i am paying a hefty bill for her.  though she is comparable to other photographers in the area.  but i am paying more than what i expected.  but i got every single picture she took of us and am able to print them anywhere i choose.  in total she took about 140+ pictures.  and i am in love with all of them.  she will also be doing our wedding and we will have the rights to all of those as well:

makeup must haves

if you ain't crazy about makeup, then this post ain't for you.  but i wanted to do a post about my must have products for makeup.  i recently started watching youtube and have a few fav girls that show me how to apply make up, what's the new hottest products are and their ulta hauls.  i just wanted to showcase some of the products i've picked up from my youtube binges or what i have found to work for me.

my skin is pretty much normal.  not too oily, not too dry.  i have a few break outs here and there but nothing major.

my usual routine is to shower at night.  i typically clean my face in the shower using olay rro-x advanced cleansing system and garnier's charcoal face wash.  what's remaining after my shower, gets wiped off using target or walmart generic face wipes.  before i go to sleep, i put on clinique's face lotion.  i almost always just let my hair air dry during the evenings and while i sleep to help cut down on applying too much heat to my hair.  usually in the morning it's always wavy and sticking out all over the place.

in the morning before work, i only give myself a half hour to wake up, put on make up, get dressed and do my hair before i need to leave.  this gives me very little room to mess around with any hair style or makeup.  i pretty much use the same products every day and do very simple looks for work.  i need the products i use to be simple and easy to apply.  plus do what they're supposed to do, make me look better!

here's my before and after of me over the weekend.

BEFORE

AFTER

aren't i so bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning??  as you can see in my before, i have some dark circles under my eyes, a few blemishes and a little bit of mascara that was too stubborn to come off.  my hair is sticking out in every direction.  and i look tired.  i need my makeup to hide all of that and hair tools to tame that mop.

my current go to for a primer is L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base. i have used other primers before.  some drugstore brands some more expensive brands.  i really like this one so far.  and it's a good price point all around.  the key with primer is to give it enough time to soak in for it to do it's job.  i don't use primer absolutely everyday.  i mostly only use it on the weekends or days i know i'll need my makeup to last more than my 8 hours at work.  when i do use the primer, i'll put it on and then piddle around doing something else for 10-15 minutes so it can soak in and work properly.

in the summer, my next step is bb cream.  in the winter, i'll use a stronger foundation to give me more coverage.  but when i'm slightly tan and too hot and sweaty to use something heavier, i'll go with a bb cream.  my current favorite is tarte bb cream in light.  the reason why i love this bb cream so much is the color is awesome.  it has a yellow tint to it that really matches my skin tone.  it's not heavy but it does cover and even out my skin tone really well.  it also has spf built in to it which helps cutting back on using another product for sun protection.  it's a little on the pricey side.  i do have some drugstore bb creams to try but haven't yet to compare them. 

now for most youtubers, they stay away from powdering the whole face.  they mostly only use it to set they're concealers.  i, however, do not like the shiny-dewey look.  so i will set my face with a powder.  i simply brush it on all over my face to help keep the bb cream in place and matte my face.  the one i currently use is rimmel stay matte powder in silky beige.  it's a basic powder that matches my skin tone.  nothing too special.  and it's super cheap!

my next step is to contour kinda.  i use pixi by petra bronzer in summertime and my blush is city color be matte blush in fresh melon.  i change out my blush and bronzer depending on what's on sale or whether or not i have a tan at that time.  these two options i'm currently using were either in my ipsy bag or my boxycharm box.  i love getting makeup in the mail and trying new products i would have never tried before.  if you're not familiar with either service, they're basically a monthly mailing service that sends you 5 different products.  the ipsy bag is $10 a month and comes with a small makeup bag and 5 small products that will fit in that bag.  some products are samples some are full size.  the boxycharm is $22 a month (i think) and it offers mostly full size options.  it also usually has a value of at least $50 or more a month.

anyhow, i just roughly contour with the bronzer around my temples, under my cheekbones and under my neck.  i put a little bit of blush on my cheek bones.  i will also bring the bronzer down on my neck and my chest to help blend my face and my body.  my face and neck don't tan so easily so if i'm bronzing my face, i need to bronze my neck or i look like i'm wearing a mask.

my final face product that i use is my holy grail.  like seriously life changing experience for me. i have always struggled with my bottom lash mascara rubbing off on my cheeks during the day.  i would spend the morning covering these dark circles and get everything perfect to only have my mascara rub off and give me raccoon eyes all over again!  the torture!  i asked some reps at sephora what to do.  my aunt the makeup artist.  and no one had a solution.  i was using liquid concealer, powder and water proof mascara and NOTHING would work!  finally, i was watching youtube and one of the girls said she used bareminerals concealer and i thought i would try it since it was a powder and not a liquid.

i typically do this step last.  i will use this product under my eyes after i put on my mascara just in case any comes off on my skin i still have the ability to get it off.  i will also use it to cover blemishes.  i found that this product covers anything and everything.  and does it well.  i haven't really tried any other bare minerals product but this one i will buy and buy and buy again.  it's the bare mineral concealer in well rested.

i recently started filling in my brows.  i'm a natural blonde so my eyebrows are snow white and non existent.  i get them threaded once a month or so to shape them.  i found that the ulta eyebrow pencil in golden ash is a good match for me.  it's not too orangey or too dark for me.  i will use that first to kinda outline and fill in my brow.  then i'll use maybelline expert wear in brownstones to set it and help blend.  finally i'll use a spooly to blend it all together and make it less harsh.

for eyes, i will use nyx eyeshadow base to help make my eyeshadow last.  for eyeshadow, i tend to go towards my coastal scents revealed 2 palette.  i received this palette in my boxycharm box.  it's a cheaper version of the urban decay naked palette.  the key with eyeshadow is to blend, blend, blend! i line my waterline with urban decay all nighter eyeliner in perversion.  finally i use 3 different mascaras.  i first use a drugstore brand - whatever is on sale - on my upper lashes.  i do a second coat on my upper lashes using benefit they're real in black.  i do the first coat in drugstore brand so that it coats my lashes.  makes my blonde lashes black.  the second layer i use my more expensive mascara to give it the long butterfly lashes.  and i use less of my expensive mascara this way.  finally i use a waterproof mascara for my lower lashes.  again, usually drugstore - usually whatever is on sale.

finally, after all of my makeup is on, i'll do my hair.  now that i wash it at night and let it air dry, i mostly wake up in the morning with wavy hair.  well some parts are wavy.  some are straight.  and to blend all that, i use my remington curling wand.  i will curl my whole head and brush it out to soften the curls.  then i set it with hairspray.  the hairspray i've been using lately is marc anthony.  i absolutely love the smell.  i got a sample size of it in my ipsy bag and instantly went to ulta and bought the full size version.

and that's how i go from drab to fab.